I was quoted £15k for my dream designer kitchen but I did it myself for a tenth of the cost – it looks so posh
AN INTERIOR fan has revealed how she saved £13,000 by renovating her kitchen herself.
Jess and her partner Connor, both 29, from Gateshead, were quoted £15,000 to have their kitchen redone, but decided to do it themselves for just 10% of the price.
Speaking to Ruggable Jess described their interior style as a real mix of things.
She says: “We take a lot of inspiration from 70’s earthy colour palettes and love natural materials such as wood.
“We like to mix these with more contemporary fixtures and fittings to create a put-together unified space.”
Speaking of their transformation, Jess added, “We weren’t planning on doing the kitchen ourselves originally. I had always said that the kitchen would be the first “big job” we would do when we bought this house as I always hated how bland and cold it was.
“After getting quotes for 3 or 4 different places all around the £15,000 mark, we decided that we couldn’t justify those costs for such a small space and decided we’d have a go at doing it ourselves. After lots of time on Pinterest/TikTok/Youtube, we just went for it.”
The couple who were quoted £15,000 spent just 10% of that with a total spend of £1,500, including new appliances.
The pair said, “This was absolutely a budget transformation. We created this space for £1,500, including all of our new appliances. It would have cost us around £700 to make over the full space if we didn’t add these.
“We pretty much upcycled half of our kitchen. The original tiles and kitchen cupboards are the same ones we started with. We also bought our Smeg fridge freezer second hand, which saved us about £2000 off the retail price.”
Jess’s says that when it comes to tackling your own space you should never go in blind.
“I’d say my biggest tip is just to spend some time figuring out exactly what you want from your space before you start it,” she says.
“It’s a messy, time-consuming thing to do, so having a clear vision helped speed that up.
“Also, always make sure to spend time doing prep work. It’s potentially the worst part, but it makes such a difference to the finish and durability of things. ”
BREAKDOWN OF COSTS
Kitchen cupboard paints – Green 05 lick – 1 tin £45
Kitchen tile paint – Antique white rustoleum – 3 tins – £68.97
Primer for cupboards – Zinsser BIN – 1 tin – £20
Worktops – Ikea Vrena – £300
Solid Oak flooring – B&Q – £230.40
Handles – Amazon 2 boxes – £30
Tile trim – B&Q – £12
£706.36
Additional Appliances
Smeg fridge freezer second hand – £430
Wodar boiling water tap £300
Black Sink – Ikea circular hub – £65
£1501.73